Detachable handle for mops, brushes, and like cleaning utensils.



A. E. HODGE.

DETACHABLE HANDLE FOR MOPS, BRUSHES, AND LIKE CLEANING UTENSILS.

APPLICATION. FILED FEB-5,19%.

1 ,1 ,779. Patented June 27, 1916.

IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNE YS.

- OFTCEJ ALBERT E. HODGE, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

DETACHABLE HANDLE FOR MOPS, BRUSHES, AND LIKE CLEANING UTENSILS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

ratentea'eaae 11ers.

Application filed February 5, 1916. Serial No. 76,316.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALBERT E. Honor, acitizen of the United States of America, residing in Springfield, in thecounty of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Detachable Handles for Mops, Brushes, andLike Cleaning Utensils, of which the following-is a specification.

This invention-relates to improvements in detachable handles for mops,brushes, and like cleaning utensils.

An object of the invention is to provide a handle for cleaning utensils,such as floor mops, brushes, and the like, which handle is provided withgenerally simplified and improved means to attach the frame or core ofthe brush, or other utensil, to the handle. The construction of saidmeans is particularly characterized by the provision of a simpleclamping means which is engageable in an improved manner with anextension of the brush frame to hold the latter not only from pullingout of the handle but also to prevent the frame from twisting andlateral displacement in the handle.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the description to followand in the annexed claims.

For the purposes of showing one way in which the invention may bepractised, a preferred embodiment thereof is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a side elevational view ofthe handle showing the improved attaching means; Fig. 2 is an end v1ewthereof drawn to an enlarged scale; Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation ofthe attaching means drawn to the scale of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 isa plan viewof a dust mop showing a frame construction suitable for use with theimproved attaching means; Fig. 5 is a partial sectional plan viewshowing the mop frame fitted into the handle; Fig. 6 is a sectional viewtaken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5 and looking in the direction of thearrows; and Fig.- 7 is a modification of a frame for insertion into thehandle. v

Referring to these drawings: 1 represents a suitable handle and fixedthereto is a base member 2 which carries the attaching means. The end ofmember 2 is formed into a hollow substantially rectangular socket 3having an opening 4 for the frame of a brush mop or the like. The socket3 is preferably arranged at an angle to handle 1, particularly when thehandle is intended for dust mops, floor brushes and the like, but thesocket may, if desired, be arranged axially in line with the handle orat any other angle than that shown to suit the convenience of the user.

Vertically movable within the opening 4 is a clamp 5 which is looselyriveted at 6 to a thumb-screw 7 threaded into the top wall of socket 3,as shown. A hole 8 in the bottom of socket 3 and in alinement With screw7 provides a convenient means for riveting the screw to clamp 5, and thelower face of the latter is preferably serrated or roughened, as shownin Fig. 3. The lower interior wall of opening 4 is formed with anintegral upstanding web 9 which divides the lower portion of opening 4.axially into two compartments. Notches 10 are cut in the side faces ofsocket 3 and extend inwardly from the end of the socket a short distanceand at the bottom of each notch is a sharp fin 11 for a purpose to bedescribed.

Fig. 4 illustrates in conventional form a dust mop 12 which has a coreor frame suitable for attachment to handle 1. It is to be understoodthat brushes or other similar cleaning utensils may be used in place ofmop 12, which is shown simply for illustrative purposes and the onlyessential feature of the cleaning utensil is that it has a frame whichis arranged to fit within socket 3 in the manner to be described. Oneconvenient and advantageous frame construction is shown in Fig. 4wherein the mop fabric is held securely between twisted wires 13.

Other constructions may be employed as desired, but-the constructionillustrated is of advantage as it permits the mop to be formed bybending into any desired shape. In any case for the purposes of-.theinvention, it is simply necessary that the frame 13 have its ends bentinto substantially parallel and close relation as at 14: and that eachextension 14 be provided with a short ofi'set portion 15, as shown inFig. 4. A suitable modification of the frame is shown in Fig. 7 withcorresponding letters primed.

In operation, the two extensions 14: are inserted in opening 4 onopposite sides of and in contact with the web 9 until the ends thereofabut the rear wall of the opening.

The offset portions 15 will then lie in notches 10 and abut the'rearvertical wall of the latter, all as shown in Fig. 5, wherein clamp 5,not being in the plane of the section is indicated in dotted lines. Theclamp 5 is then screwed down firmly against the top of the extensions14, as shown in Fig. 6. It is to be noted that the clamp, as shown inFig. 5, covers not only all of the extensions 14 but also covers asubstantial part of the offset portions 15 and due to the clamping ofthe latter portions the frame 13 is braced and stiffened against turningmovements in the socket. Furthermore, the area of the twisted wiresclamped is also increased, and the frictional hold thereon isstrengthened. Moreover, the frictional grip on wires 13 is furtheraccentuated by the serrated face of the clamp and by the fact that theextensions 14 also contact with web 9. The outer ends of offset portions15 are forced into engagement with fins 11 which dig into the wires andeffectually prevent lateral displacement of the mop frame.

Thus, I have provided a detachable handle for mops, brushes, and thelike which is of simplified and imf groved construction and providedwith an e 'cient means of attachment. It is recognized that changes maybe made in the structure herein described for illustrative purposeswithout departing from the scope of the invention which is de fined bythe appended claims rather than by the foregoing description of onepreferred form.

What I claim is-- 1. The combination with a handle, of a socket memberfixed to the handle and formed with an opening in its end adapted toreceive the ends of a core of a brush or the like, a plate movable insaid opening and adapted to clamp said core to said member, means tomove the plate, and notches formed in the side walls of said member andprovided with fins on one edge thereof, said notches adapted to receivean offset portion and braced against twisting or lateral displacementtherein.

2. A dust mop or the like, comprising, a handle, a socket member fixedthereto, a mop member, a supporting core for the latter havingextensions adapted to fit within said socket member and oppositelyturned offsets in said extensions, a plate movable in said socket memberadapted to clamp said extensions against one face of the socket member,means to move said plate, and notches formed in the side walls of saidmember to receive said offset portions, all constructed and arranged sothat an extended flat bearing is provided by offsetting said extensions,whereby said core may be securely held in the socket member againstturning or lateral displacement.

3. A dust mop or the like, comprising, a handle, a socket member fixedthereto, an upstanding web formed in the socket member, a mop member, asupporting core for the latter having extensions adapted to fit Withinsaid socket member on opposite sides of said web, and oppositely turnedoffsets in said extensions, a plate movable in said member adapted toclamp said extensions against one face of the socket member and holdthem against said web, means to move said plate, and notches formed inthe side walls of said member to receive said offset portions, allconstructed and arranged so that the extensions may be inserted in saidsocket member and positioned by abutment with the rear wall thereof andby abutment of said offset portions with the rear walls of said notches,whereby the mop member may be securely held to said handle.

ALBERT E. HODGE.

